In reply to andrew breckill:
I didn't think it was meant to be satirical, nor contemporary. It was written at a time when 'the reds' amongst others were some of the USA's public enemies, all libertarian views were 'suspect', and I get the impression that Heinlein would have been a staunch Republican.
P.S. I've read a few Heinlein books, and some of them were fun, but he was a bit of a loony.